How to Repost Pinterest Videos as Instagram Reels (Easy Steps)

Found a Pinterest video that would be perfect for your Instagram audience? You can repost a Pinterest video as an Instagram Reel in about five minutes: download the video, make sure it’s vertical and the right length, upload it as a Reel, and credit the original creator. This guide walks you through every step — plus the credit and permission rules that keep your account safe.

Can You Repost Pinterest Videos as Instagram Reels?

Technically, yes — it’s straightforward. Instagram Reels accept any MP4 video from your camera roll, and a downloaded Pinterest video is just an MP4. There’s no technical barrier between the two platforms.

But there’s an important distinction between can and should. Every Pinterest video belongs to the person who created it. Downloading it gives you a file; it doesn’t give you ownership or the right to publish it as your own. Reposting without credit — or worse, reposting and monetizing someone else’s work — can get your Reel taken down for copyright infringement and, repeated often enough, your account restricted.

The safe path is simple: repost with clear credit, link back to the creator when you can, and never claim someone else’s video as your own. Many creators are happy to have their work shared with credit — some even welcome it. A quick comment or DM asking permission takes thirty seconds and removes all doubt.

How to Repost a Pinterest Video as an Instagram Reel: Step by Step

Step 1: Download the Pinterest video to your phone

Start by saving the video file. On your phone, open Pinterest, find the video, tap Share > Copy link, then paste the link into PinSaveVideo’s downloader in your mobile browser and save the MP4. Aim for the highest quality available — Instagram will compress it anyway, so starting from the best source matters.

On iPhone, the file lands in the Files app — open it, tap Share, and choose Save Video to move it into your Photos library where Instagram can find it. On Android, it usually appears in Downloads and your Gallery picks it up automatically. Our iPhone guide and Android guide cover the exact taps if you get stuck.

Step 2: Check the format — vertical, short, and sharp

Instagram Reels are built for vertical 9:16 video (1080 x 1920 pixels). Before uploading, check your downloaded video:

• Aspect ratio: if the Pinterest video is square or landscape, it will play with big empty bars on a Reel. You can crop it to vertical in your phone’s editor or in Instagram’s own trim screen — just make sure the important action stays in the center frame.
• Length: Reels can run up to 3 minutes, but the sweet spot for reposted content is 15–60 seconds. If the Pinterest video is longer, trim it to the best moment.
• Quality: start from an HD download. Instagram recompresses everything, so a crisp source file is the difference between a sharp Reel and a mushy one.

Step 3: Edit lightly (trim, captions, cover)

You don’t need fancy editing, but three quick touches make a repost perform far better:

• Trim the dead air. Cut any slow intro — Reels live or die in the first two seconds.
• Add captions. Most people watch Reels with sound off. Instagram’s auto-caption sticker takes seconds and dramatically increases watch time.
• Pick a strong cover frame. The cover is what shows on your profile grid — choose the most eye-catching moment, not a blurry mid-motion frame.

Keep edits light and honest: trimming and captioning is fine, but don’t crop out a creator’s watermark or username to hide the source. That’s the fastest way to turn a harmless repost into a copyright problem.

Step 4: Upload it as a Reel

Open Instagram, tap the + button, choose Reel, and select your video from the camera roll. Add your captions, pick a cover, choose audio — note that if the Pinterest video already has music baked in, you can usually leave it as-is rather than layering an Instagram track over it.

Write a caption that adds value: what the video shows, why you shared it, and — critically — who made it. Tag the creator’s Instagram handle if you can find it; if they’re only on Pinterest, say so and link their Pinterest profile in the caption.

Step 5: Credit the creator properly

This step is what separates a good repost from a problematic one. Proper credit means:

• Tag them in the Reel itself (the tag sticker) and mention them in the caption.
• Say where it’s from: “Found this gem on Pinterest — original by @creator” is clear and honest.
• Link back when possible. If the creator has an Instagram account, tag it. If not, name their Pinterest profile so people can find the original.
• Never imply it’s yours. Don’t put your own watermark over their video, and don’t write captions like “my new recipe” on someone else’s cooking video.

If you want to be extra safe — especially for accounts you monetize — ask permission first. Most creators respond to a short DM like “Love your Pinterest video on [topic]! Mind if I share it as a Reel with full credit and a tag?” A yes gives you complete peace of mind, and many creators say yes because the exposure benefits them too.

Fixing Common Format Problems

Pinterest videos weren’t made for Reels, so a few conversions come up often:

• Landscape video (16:9): you have two options — crop to vertical (loses the sides but fills the screen) or keep it landscape with blurred bars top and bottom (keeps everything visible but looks smaller). For tutorials where the sides matter, keep the bars. For punchy clips, crop.
• Square video (1:1): easiest case — crop slightly to 9:16 or post as-is with modest bars. Square content was common on older Pinterest uploads.
• Video too long: find the single best 30–60 second segment. A tight highlight outperforms a full 3-minute repost almost every time — viewers don’t know the original context, so give them the payoff fast.
• Low quality source: if the Pinterest video is blurry, no editing trick will fix it. Instagram’s compression will only make it worse. Skip that video and find a sharper version of the same content.
• No sound: check whether the original had audio before assuming the download failed. If it’s genuinely silent, add a trending Instagram audio track — silent reposts underperform badly.

Reposting Your OWN Pinterest Videos? Even Easier

Everything above assumes you’re sharing someone else’s video. But many people searching for how to repost Pinterest videos as Instagram Reels are actually creators wanting to cross-post their own content — and that’s the simplest case of all. No permission needed, no credit worries, no copyright risk. You made it; you can publish it anywhere.

Still, a few things are worth doing even with your own videos. First, download the original-quality file rather than re-uploading a compressed copy you saved months ago — Pinterest serves your video back at the quality you uploaded, so grab a fresh copy for the sharpest Reel. Second, tailor the caption and hashtags to Instagram’s audience rather than copying your Pinterest description verbatim; the two platforms reward different keyword styles. And third, consider tweaking the hook: what worked as a Pinterest title overlay might need a punchier first two seconds to stop the Reels scroll.

Cross-posting your own catalog is one of the highest-leverage habits a creator can build. A tutorial that earned saves on Pinterest for a year can find a whole new audience as a Reel — same work, double the reach. Just keep the formats platform-native (vertical, captioned, trimmed) and each version will pull its weight.

What NOT to Do When Reposting Pinterest Videos

A few mistakes turn an innocent repost into an account risk. Avoid all of these:

• Don’t remove the creator’s watermark or username. Cropping out attribution to make the video look like yours is the clearest possible copyright violation — and creators do file takedowns over it.
• Don’t repost to a monetized account without permission. Casual sharing with credit is one thing; running ads against someone else’s video, or building a monetized page entirely from reposts, is where legal trouble starts.
• Don’t mass-repost. An account that’s 100% other people’s Pinterest videos with no original content looks like spam to Instagram’s systems and to viewers. Mix reposts with your own content.
• Don’t ignore a takedown request. If a creator asks you to remove their video, remove it promptly and politely. Fighting it risks a formal copyright strike.
• Don’t repost private or watermarked-preview content. If a video was clearly never meant for redistribution — a paid course preview, a private client video that leaked — leave it alone.

Tips to Make Your Reposts Actually Perform

Reposting done right can genuinely grow an account — curation pages with millions of followers are built on it. Here’s what separates reposts that flop from reposts that fly:

• Curate, don’t dump. Post the single best video you found this week, not ten mediocre ones you found today. Your taste is the value you add.
• Add your own commentary. A Reel with your voiceover reacting to, explaining, or building on the Pinterest video is far more engaging — and far more defensible — than a bare re-upload. Reaction and commentary formats are the backbone of successful curation accounts.
• Post when your audience is awake. Check Instagram Insights for when your followers are online; a great repost at 3 AM still underperforms.
• Use relevant hashtags, not 30 random ones. Five to ten targeted tags (niche + format, like #diyreels or #recipereels) beat a wall of generic ones.
• Reply to comments fast. The first hour after posting drives most of a Reel’s reach. Be there, answer questions, and pin the best comment.
• Build relationships with creators you repost. Tag them, engage with their content, and over time some will send you videos directly — turning your source into a collaboration.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it legal to repost Pinterest videos on Instagram?

Reposting someone else’s video without permission technically infringes their copyright, even with credit — credit is a courtesy, not a license. In practice, credited non-commercial reposts are widely tolerated, and many creators welcome the exposure. For monetized accounts or commercial use, get explicit permission first. This is general information, not legal advice.

How do I download a Pinterest video to repost on Instagram?

Copy the pin’s link from Pinterest (Share > Copy link), paste it into a free downloader like PinSaveVideo in your phone’s browser, and save the MP4. On iPhone, move it from Files to Photos with Share > Save Video; on Android it appears in your Gallery automatically. Then upload it through Instagram’s Reel composer.

Why does my reposted Reel look blurry?

Two likely causes: you downloaded a low-quality version, or Instagram’s compression hit an already-soft file. Fix it by downloading the highest quality available (1080p when offered) and uploading over Wi-Fi — Instagram compresses less aggressively on stable, fast connections.

Can I repost a Pinterest video without crediting the creator?

You shouldn’t. Beyond being unfair to the creator, uncredited reposts are the most likely to be reported and taken down. Crediting takes ten seconds — tag them in the Reel and mention them in the caption — and it protects your account while often earning you a grateful share from the creator.

Will Instagram penalize reposted content?

Instagram’s algorithm can detect widely-duplicated content and may limit its reach compared to original posts — that’s why adding your own commentary, captions, or edits helps. Accounts built purely on bare reposts also risk being classified as unoriginal content, which restricts monetization features. Mix reposts with original content for the healthiest growth.

Conclusion

To repost a Pinterest video as an Instagram Reel: download the MP4, trim it to vertical and under a minute, upload it as a Reel with captions, and credit the creator clearly. Do that consistently — with permission when it matters — and you’ll have a repost workflow that’s fast, safe, and actually grows your account.